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Manchester United face a crucial showdown with Chelsea at Old Trafford on Monday evening which could have implications for Louis van Gaal’s future.

The Dutch tactician is coming under intense pressure after his side fell to their fourth consecutive defeat in all competitions on Saturday with their loss at Stoke City, and a failure to show any sign of improvement could see the club make a decision to replace him.

As a result, Van Gaal may choose to make changes in order to avoid such a scenario, with two individuals in particular in line for a recall to the starting lineup.

Captain Wayne Rooney was dropped at the Britannia Stadium, but having been introduced at half-time, the England international made a significant difference for United as they began to show some life in the final third.

Whether or not he is capable of bringing that influence as a starter remains to be seen, but for a side struggling to create and score goals, it would seem obvious to bring the 30-year-old back into the equation.

Meanwhile, Bastian Schweinsteiger returns from his three-game suspension and will likely be immediately installed into midfield given the struggles that United have suffered with in that area of the pitch in recent weeks.

With neither Michael Carrick nor Ander Herrera able to dominate the game against Stoke, the German international will be a welcome boost for Van Gaal.

Matteo Darmian is understood to be in contention to return from injury, but United could be set to remain relatively unchanged as Van Gaal fights for his future at Old Trafford heading into 2016.